Let It Rain
by DanelleSephton
Summary: The normally helpful and welcomed Pokerus virus has mutated into a dangerous contagion, effecting Pokemon and trainer alike. It's up to Prof. Juniper, Bianca, Cheren, Hilda, and some friends to end this disaster before it destroys Unova forever, or will they be too late to even save themselves?
1. Chapter 1

_.…Prelude…._

_The beginnings and ends of shadow lie between the light and darkness and may be infinitely diminished and infinitely increased. Shadow is the means by which bodies display their form. The forms of bodies could not be understood in detail but for shadow._

_Leonardo DaVinci_

…

It was a dry, autumn evening, and the sky was dark.

The seasons were in an in-between kind of time; the time before the cool touch of ice dulled the colorful breath of life from the Unova region. A since of fragility was sent upon all the people in the area as winter slowly encroached nearer and nearer in quick bursts of cool weather that seemed to come from a higher place. The air was crisp and bitter to the throat, the sky was murky and dark, and all the people and Pokémon alike were ready and expecting a difficultly cold and miserable winter ahead.

Professor Juniper let a small scowl slip on to her face as she observed the Pokémon before her with scrutiny. It had certainly been a long time since anyone from the Pokémon Center had needed her help, especially a case like this.

"How long has this been going on?" she asked Nurse Joy.

The pink haired woman gently pet the head of the ailing Patrat in front of her, a frown never leaving her face, "A trainer brought this one to us a few weeks ago after finding it in this condition, but we aren't positive exactly when his symptoms began."

The little Patrat was less than what it normally was; completely allowing them to examine him instead of trying to flee. It's skin and coat was dull and fur was falling out in places. His eyes were tired and glossy, and the poor little Pokémon's paws and tail kept twitching. The Patrat looked up at the two women, eyes brimming with pain filled tears and complete, utter weakness. It was a tragic sight to see such a gentle, loving thing as a Pokémon in such a horrible state.

"Do you have any idea what's wrong with it?" the Professor asked, "Have any other Pokémon been infected?"

"About thirty four confirmed cases," Nurse Joy sighed, "And several others are starting to show signs of infection. W-We don't understand what's causing it to spread so fast, all we can figure out is that it is most likely a form of Pokérus."

"How can you tell?" Juniper picked up a note book from her desk

"The Pokémon we were able to observe as they were in the first stages of infection showed the normal symptoms affiliated with the virus," she explained, "Rapid growth, excessive increase in strength, doubling of normal power, and other such effects. While having Pokémon develop normal Pokérus in most instances is not very common or normal, it can be fairly beneficial to the Pokémon's growth. But obviously-"

"This is no longer the case," the Professor nodded in understanding, quickly jotting down something in her tablet, "The strand of virus must have undergone a mutation somewhere down the line," she peered down at the ill Patrat on the table before her, "Normal Pokérus only lasts for a few days or so, correct?" she didn't wait for Nurse Joy's answer, "You said that this specific Pokémon has been in deteriorating condition for over a week, which is abnormal for a simple Pokérus virus," she bit her lip, "I'm not sure exactly what's causing this, but I know that we can figure this out soon enough before any Pokémon can be permanently effected."

Nurse Joy hesitated for a moment before speaking, "This may not be that simple."

"Why not?" Juniper turned, confused.

"If this was only effecting Pokémon, the Pokémon Center could handle it," the nurse turned away from her and looked out the window to gaze into the sunset on the edge of Nuvema Town, "That's why we didn't immediately contact you. We are masters of curing all the aliments of Pokémon, but this… this maybe one issue that we can't fix…"

"Why?" the Pokémon Professor asked, growing even more concerned, "What makes this different?"

Nurse Joy sighed and started to gather up the Patrat and her things. She then went to the door, "A few days after the first few ill Pokémon came to Center," she started, turning to Juniper from the open door way, "One of our nurses who was tending to them started to act strangely. She started doing more hours, eating more, over working in general. She complained that she had too much energy and she wanted to burn it all up quickly. Soon, later, she feel ill, all of her previous build-up energy completely diminished."

"But that's not-" Nurse Joy interrupted Juniper before she could finish.

"Of course Pokémon can't infect humans with normal Pokérus, but it seems as though this new strand of the virus can be caught by people," she gently pet the Patrat's pokeball in her hand, "We don't think physical contact is what's spreading this, or the entire Pokémon center would be infected by now. All I know is we need the help of someone with the social power that you have to find out how this is effecting the region on a much larger level. We don't have as much data or relations outside of Pokémon research."

"I understand," Juniper nodded, "I'll do what I can," she looked to the Pokeball, "Might I borrow the Patrat? For observation?"

"Of course," Nurse Joy handed it to her, "Take good care of him."

"I will," she smiled and tucked the ball into her lab coat, "Take care on your way. It's a long trek between here and Lacunosa Town."

"Thank you very much, Professor," she called as she left, "Please do your best!"

The Professor watched her leave from her window, feeling at the Pokeball in her pocket.

What could possibly be happening? This such a strange mystery, that was laid at her feet on such a cool autumn night. Despite the calmness of which Nurse Joy had addressed the issue, Juniper knew the woman had been very troubled over this, and it took a lot to make a Joy troubled, especially when it came to something like a Pokémon illness.

Was this spreading rapidly? Or was it destined to only stay in the Unova region? Would she have to address the other regions Professors? Or even Alder?

So many questions flashed through her head, everything accumulating into a huge, jumbled mess. It took her a moment to pull herself together before the Professor sat down at her desk and pulled out her Xtransceiver from under the folds of her lab coat sleeve and quickly typed in to try and bring up the familiar faces of three familiar people whom she _knew _could help her figure this mess out.

Her hands barely touched the smooth screens glass as she selected her call request recipients; _'Hilda' 'Bianca' 'Cheren'_

It was a dry, autumn evening, and the sky was dark.

**A/N: Hello readers! *blows a light confetti into the air* Yeah! I'm in another fandom again! Whelp, this is what happens when I'm sick for more than three days XD. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the prelude to my first Pokémon story (Don't worry, **_**We All Fall Down **_**will be updated as normal… meaning like, once or twice a week).**

**I want to say that this will be one of my only A/N's but I have a habit of forgetting that later XD so you most likely will be having more babble to not read. This story will be mostly based around Cheren, due to the fact that I adore him hands down as the coolest and most amazing transformation from jackass to kickass… pardon my French… Anyway, there will be no pairings unless their canon, and this takes place directly after Black and White, but before Black and White 2, so in those two years.**

**I also would like to point out that I have yet to actually **_**play **_**Black and White 2, due to all of my Pokémon games going missing/stolen, and I literally am starting over my collection. I will be getting (hopeful) X and Y for Christmas and I am praying Black 2 might be in there as well…**

**Anyway, my little rant is over, peace out! YOLO forever!**


	2. Chapter 2

…_.1…._

…

It was a cool, windy night. The sky was clear.

The last thing Cheren wanted was a summons to Nuvema Town.

It wasn't that he didn't want to see his hometown again; he mostly just didn't want to see his mom cry again when he did have to leave or for his father to awkwardly try and be interested in his life. He didn't want Bianca to try and con him into staying and he didn't want Hilda to scold him for not visiting enough.

All Cheren wanted to was sit in his nice, comfortable little cave in Victory Road and try to figure out what he was going to do with his life. It was a selfish wish, yes, but a simple one regardless. Yet it seemed that Unova wasn't the place for serious thinking anymore.

The young trainer pulled his jacket tighter around his shoulders and continued to walk along the path of Route 1.

_Had it always been so cold down here? _he wondered, shivering slightly, _It's still autumn, but this is ridiculous! _Cheren had always hated the cold. The biting, bitter chill just never felt right to him in any situation. The heat of battle was where he was comfortable, it was just the way he was.

As the cool, rushing wind rustled his hair annoyingly, Cheren stretched his arms lazily over his head, hoping to calm the crick in his neck that was quickly forming. Unlike the wonderfully lucky Hilda, Cheren didn't have a bike, nor did he want one. Walking to and fro allowed him to get to train while still getting to his destination on time. Maybe it was just his mind still wanting to grow stronger and stronger. But by the Professor's call though, he probably should have used Fly and arrived much faster, but, knowing Juniper, this whole thing was either a new update to the Pokédex or she found some kind of glitch in the current one.

Cheren dragged himself through the tall grass, grumbling a little bit as he did. He really didn't know why he was so annoyed about all this. The little inconveniences he told himself would never have been able to irk him before, but now they were the most irritating thing in the world to him. He wanted to find his place in the world, not be continuously reminded of his past.

He loved his friends; Cheren could never (and never wanted to) deny that. They were the whole reason why he wanted to change his role in the world. But he wanted time to think. He wanted solitude. He wanted silence. If he surrounded himself with his past, how was he supposed to start his future? It may have been an almost selfish excuse for seclusion, but how else did someone make a change in themselves? Even Pokémon had to put serious effort into evolution.

It took Cheren about five more minutes to end his walk down the route, avoiding the few late night trainers who he knew were hiding in the dark. He quickly acknowledged the few citizens who were outside before scurrying straight to Professor Juniper's lab. As he rushed based his old neighbors, he could practically sense their confusion and hurt. Did they know Nuvema's favorite children were coming home? They had to or they most certainly wouldn't be out this late. They had been waiting for him, and he just blew them off. Did they really expect anything less? He had never been very close to the others in the town; he found himself lucky that Bianca and Hilda were too stubborn to realize that the town's smart, quiet boy with the horn rimmed glasses did _not _want to play with them. Cheren, even if he was at last trying to change, was not the homecoming kind, and he most certainly not fond of 'friendly gatherings' in most cases.

But, of course, his friends never cared about that.

He opened the lab door and let the warm, clean air of the lab brush away the cold from his journey. The sterile white walls littered with pinned up notes and machines welcomed him in with a few rhythmic beeps and hums. It reminded him of a time gone by too quickly.

Cheren barely had time to shake his thoughts from his head before he was tackled by a flash of blonde.

"Cheren!" Bianca hugged him, smiling, "I'm so happy you came! I was so worried!"

"Worried?" he tried to brush her off, trying to not be annoyed, "Why in the world would you be worried?"

Bianca stopped smiling for a second, "That's right! The Professor didn't tell us on the Xtransceiver."

"Tell us what, Bianca?" Cheren persisted as she pulled him inside the lab.

"Hey, Cheren!" Hilda waved from beside the professor's desk, "What took you so long, we were really all worried about you!"

Cheren sighed once he got Bianca to release him, "Hello, Hilda, Cedric. Will someone please tell me what's going on now?"

"Didn't I tell you all to hurry?" Professor Juniper walked in and faced Cheren, "What took you so long?"

"I had to travel from Victory Road all the way here!" his patience was growing to an end, "Can you please tell me what's going on?"

The lab was silent for a moment, aside from the beeps and hums of the machines, "I won't hold you in suspense, Cheren," the Professor pulled out a Pokeball, "A few days ago, I was approached by the Pokémon Center with a newly growing virus that seems to be infecting Pokémon."

"A virus?" he questioned, "Shouldn't the nurses in the Center be handling it if it's infecting Pokémon?"

"It's not just affecting Pokémon," Hilda piped up, "The Professor told us that it's rapidly spreading in both trainers and Pokémon."

Bianca moved to his side, "When you didn't show up on time, we started to worry that you were sick or something."

"I'm perfectly fine," he assured her, "Now that I know the situation, the question is on the table; Professor, why do you need our help?"

Juniper sighed, "Like I said, the virus is spreading rapidly. The Center believes that it's some mutated form of Pokérus, due to the nature of its spreading as well as its symptoms."

"What are the symptoms?" Bianca asked, taking a seat on a medium sized box on the floor.

"It varies," she explained, "But it seems to be spreading in stages. The stages occur much faster in Pokémon than in humans," she pulled out a notebook and handed it to Bianca. Cheren and Hilda quickly stood behind her to read it.

"The virus starts by producing a large amount of energy in the system, causing the subject to be overly active, eat more than normal, gain mild insomnia, and the subject may be prone to random, violent mood swings," Juniper spoke allowed what they read, "After the first phase, the infected seem to display the typical signs of a cold; runny nose, coughing, excessive mucus, scratchy throat, etc. Here they begin to slow down as their energy starts to deplete. Soon after, the infected start to lose feeling in some limbs for short periods of time and their eating slows dramatically."

"What happens after that?" Hilda asked, looking up.

Juniper flipped the Pokeball in her hand over, "I don't know. I only have this information from the cases shown to me by the Pokémon Centers nurses from around Unova. I only have one infected subject myself," she walked over to a table and released her ailing Patrat.

"Are they… contagious?" Bianca took a step back from the weak looking Pokémon.

"We're sure that it isn't traveling through the air," Juniper shook her head, "And direct contact hasn't had any results."

Cheren took a step closer, hovering over the Patrat, "If this isn't spreading through the air or through contact," he breathed, "Than how is it spreading at all?"

"That's why I asked you all here," she smiled sadly, "I realize this is a bit much to ask, but I need more samples from infect Pokémon and humans. It will be much more dangerous than completing a Pokedex, but I can't think of anyone I can trust more than you three."

"I'll help, Professor!" Hilda boldly announced. She was disgusted by how much this virus had ravaged this poor Pokémon, "You guys with me?"

Bianca turned from the Patrat, "I'll go. I want to do something to be of use," she turned to Cheren.

He hesitated for a moment, staring at the Patrat. Was it really a wise idea to go off on some quest to drag infected, possibly deadly people back to Juniper? Cheren wasn't too positive that this was the best chose, but one look at his two best friends faces told him that there was no way he could stop them, "I'm with you," he nodded, "I can't have you two getting yourselves killed, now can I?"

"Hear that, little guy?" Juniper laughed as the girls complained about Cheren's comment, "This is your chance to live. Are you ready?"

The Pokémon looked up lazily at the Professor, milky eyes peering up in tired confusion.

"We'll set out in the morning, then!" Hilda announced, hands on her hips.

Bianca smiled and headed to the door, "Alright, I'm gonna go tell my parents."

"You two should go do the same," Juniper said, "They'll be worried about you if you don't… probably a bit more if you do, but they should still know."

"Alright!" Hilda ran out, "See you in the morning, Professor!"

Cheren watched her run out, marveling silently at how someone who defeated an evil corporation, made a legendary deity one of her partners, and was a close rival to even the Champion himself could so easily shrug of all the dangers in front of her.

After she was gone, Cheren sighed and briefly nodded to the Professor before scurrying out himself, out into the dark. He quickly ran over to his childhood home, noticing the lights were on and waiting for him. Cheren slipped into the house and let his thoughts take over his mind as his mother ran over and hugged him happily.

It was a cool, windy night. The sky was clear.


End file.
